• Evora Inn - Évora

Towns and Villages

Topped by an imposing cathedral, Évora is laid out over a gently sloping hill rising out of the huge Alentejo plain. It guards its historic centre with a vast outer wall and represents a valuable cultural legacy that UNESCO has classified World Heritage.

The city, with its narrow streets of Moorish origin contrasting with squares where the light floods in, holds two millennia of hsitory. Conquered in 59 B.C. by the Romans, they named it “Liberalitas Julia”. In this period, Évora gained great importance as can be witnessed from the remains of that time: the ruins of a fine temple dated towards the end of the second century, various parts of the wall and the gateway more recently called Dona Isabel in addition to the remains of thermal baths below what is now the Municipal Council building.

Little remains of the Visigoth period (5th - 8th centuries). There then followed the Moorish period begun with the city’s conquest by Tárique. This lasted through to Christian reconquest in the 12th century. Yeborah, as it became known, had already received an indelible Moorish influence, most clearly seen in the Mouraria neighbourhood.

After the Reconquest, in addition to between the inner and outer walls, urban development moved beyond the city’s walls. The city was home to the court of various Portuguese kings of the first and second dynasties. During this period it was endowed with various palaces and monuments, particularly during the reigns of kings João II and Manuel (15th and 16th centuries).

Wander its streets and absorb the secret soul that a diverse range of cultural influences has laid down in this city of the World. There are also excellent restaurants and bars, esplanades, arts and handicraft stores and the youthful nature of those attending its university all adding up to a dynamic of the present with its roots very firmly in the past.

• Templo Romano de Evora (Templo de Diana) - Templo romano de Évora

Archaeology

The Roman Temple, over 2000 years old, is the ex-libris monument of Évora and is one of the most important historic ruins in the country.

The Roman temple in Évora was built in the first century, during the time of Caesar Augustus. It has a long history, serving as testimony to many transformations and different uses over the centuries. It was practically destroyed when the Barbarians occupied the Iberian peninsular in the fifth century, and served as a bank vault and butcher’s to Evora castle in the 14th century.

Its original Roman design was only recovered in the 19th century, in one of the first archaeological interventions in Portugal. It is a testimony to the Roman forum of the city of Évora, consecrated to the Imperial cult, thus clarifying a 17th-century tradition that claimed that the temple had been consecrated to the goddess Diana. For this reason, it was identified for many years as the Temple of Diana. Recent excavations have shown that it was surrounded by a portico and water mirror.

• Capela dos Ossos - Bones Chapel in Evora – History
  The chapel was built in the 17th century on the initiative of three Franciscan friars. Their goal: to convey the message of temporariness and fragility of human life. This message clearly comes across to visitors of Bones Chapel right at its entrance through the sign “We bones that are here, for yours we wait”. In fact, it shows Baroque’s men macabre taste for necrophilia.
• Igreja de Sao Francisco - Igreja de São Francisco / Capela dos Ossos - Évora

Monuments

Church of São Francisco - Évora

One of the striking features of the façade is a church porch with arches of different styles - a typical example of the “marriage” between Gothic and Moorish style found in so many monuments of this region in Portugal. Over the Manueline doorway we can see the emblems of the kings that commissioned its construction - D. João II and D. Manuel I - whose emblems were the pelican and armillary sphere respectively.

• Loios Convent - Igreja dos Lóios - Évora

Monuments

Church of Lóios - Évora

The Church of Lóios was built in the 15th century, in Gothic-Manueline style, although the façade now includes alterations introduced in the 18th century. It has been listed as a National Monument.

Inside, it’s well worth seeing the azulejo tile panels depicting episodes from the life of São Lourenço Justiniano. With great expressive and stylistic quality, they were painted in 1711 by the Lisbon-based artist, António de Oliveira Bernardes.

• Igreja de Nossa Senhora de Graca - Igreja da Graça - Évora

Monuments

Church of Graça - Évora

The Church of Graça was built in the 16th century, during the reign of D. João III, in accordance with architectural designs by Miguel de Arruda.

A unique monument, of Palladian influence, it highlights a robust character in its Mannerist façade, including a monumental doorway topped by a double fronton with angels above it. Four robust Atlas-style figures are placed around the four corners, symbolising the four rivers (which the locals call, with a certain degree of irony, “ the children of grace “).

Key features of the interior include the Estremoz marble windows in the zone of the high chapel, crafted by the Renaissance sculptor, Nicolau de Chanterenne.

• University of Evora - Universidade de Évora

Monuments

The creation of the University of Évora dates back to the sixteenth century when the Cardinal D. Henrique, 1st Archbishop of Évora, with the consent of King João III, ordered the construction of a building to house the community of Jesuit seminarians. In 1553 the facilities were extended, having been erected the Cloister of the ‘Botica’ (Pharmacy), from which originated the College of the Espírito Santo (Holy Spirit), administered by the Company of Jesus. The first class was taught on August 28, 1553. Six years later, on April 15, 1559, the second university in Portugal was created, through the Papal Bull Cum a Nobis, issued by Pope Paul IV. The first solemn opening of the academic year took place on the Day of All Saints on November 1, 1559.

Two years later, a new extension of the building began, with the construction of the Courtyard of the ‘Gerais’. At the time, the university was authorized to teach all subjects except Medicine, Civil Law and part of the Canon Law. It initially taught Philosophy, Moral, Scripture, Speculative Theology, Rhetoric, Grammar and Humanities. Later, in the reign of D. Pedro II, the teaching of Mathematics, Geography, Physics and Military Architecture began.

After 200 years of prominence for its role in the formation of the elites and missionaries of the kingdom, the university was closed by the Marquis of Pombal, on February 8, 1759, and the Jesuits were expelled from Portugal. Over the following 200 years, the University of Évora remained closed until its renewal in 1973, reopening its doors as a public university. During this period, many other institutions of teaching vocation passed through this beautiful building, either alone or on a cohabitation arrangement: the Regal Teachers of the ‘Pombalina’ Reform (1762), the Third Order of St. Francis under the protection of Frei Manuel do Cenáculo (1776), the Real Casa Pia (1836), The National ‘Liceu’ - High School (1841), the Industrial and Commercial School (1915) and the University Institute of Évora (1973).

Nowadays, the University of Évora is a modern and innovative institution,prominent for the quality of its research and teaching, following the motto of Luís de Camões “Honest study mixed with long experience”, reconciling the vast past of pedagogical, cultural and scientific tradition with the advanced requirements of modernity and technology, offering a wide range of training options in humanistic, scientific, technological and artistic areas, through about 36 first degrees, 76 masters and 31 doctorates.

• Cathedral of Évora - From Évora’s Cathedral to Largo das Portas de Moura

Other

Turning the apse of the Sé, head down the Freiria de Cima street looking for the porches and twinned windows that ornament some of the houses.

Continuing along the streets of Cenáculo and Freiria de Baixo, you come across S. Manços street where there is the House of Garcia de Resende (who was royal secretary, poet and writer). The house boasts three beautiful twinned Manueline windows decorated with small columns and Moorish style points.

Further along, in the Portas de Moura square, in addition to the Mudéjar - Manueline veranda of the Cordovil house, the beautiful renaissance fountain draws all eyes.

The interesting angle of the Sé can be particularly effectively discerned from this spot.

Close by there is the former University of the Holy Spirit founded in 1559 by Cardinal Henrique for the College of the Company of Jesus.

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